A recurring question that often arises during federal grant implementation is, “Can we charge this to our grant?” When the person answering the question says “Yes,” the process of making a “federal claim” begins — whether by initiating the expenditure, receiving goods and services, creating underlying documentation, posting accounts, or filing financial reports with grantors. Later, though, someone else (like an auditor) may raise their own question about that original “yes” answer, and possibly recommend that the charge be reversed (or “disallowed”).
Costs can be questioned for a variety of reasons. But the allowability issue usually comes down to (1) whether a policy interpretation made by a recipient or subrecipient is valid, and (2) whether the resulting transaction is supported by documentation that is adequate. Unfortunately, validity and adequacy are relative terms — especially when one is relying on the cost principles contained in the Office of Management and Budget’s uniform guidance (2 CFR 200).
Being able to use the “principles” to assure that your decisions bear up under scrutiny is critical, and this webinar will help you improve your ability to do so. You’ll learn how to:
- Deal effectively with policy gaps when the cost principles fail to mention a particular cost item
- Wade through muddy federal language that inhibits decisionmaking about some costs
- Use OMB’s general tests of allowability (2 CFR 200.403) to assert allowability
- Cut down on the number of transactions that require prior approval
- Find possible support in other federal cost principles
- Fashion consistent recipient policies that can often sustain allowability decisions
- Employ alternative evidence when documentary support is weak or absent
Federal grant costs can be questioned and disallowed if they are unallowable, unapproved, unreasonable, or unsupported. Avoid those consequences from a position of strength using the tips you’ll receive in this session.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
- Grants managers
- Sponsored programs administrators
- Grant project directors
- Finance directors
- Accounting staff
- Principal investigators
- Internal auditors
- External auditors
Hand-out Materials:
Attendees will receive presentation slides as well as access to background materials.
Allowable Charges
The costs of webinars sponsored by Federal Fund Management Advisor™ are allowable charges to your federal grants and subgrants. The cost principles issued by OMB under its uniform guidance (and applicable to all types of awardees) state, “The cost of training and education for employee development is allowable” (2 CFR 200.472).
Attend this Live Webinar and Earn up to 1.5 CPE Credits